Sheffield City Council welcomes Government announcement on pilot project

Sheffield City Council welcomes this morning’s Government announcement of the £100 million fund that will see teams working proactively across the country to tackle some of the public sector’s biggest challenges.

The 'test and learn' pioneer public service reform will see teams supporting these projects composed of subject matter experts from local areas, civil servants with experience of policy and agile, local authorities and other partners.

In Sheffield, the project – beginning next month (January 2025) - focuses on support for families through our Family Hubs and involves Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said:

“We are very pleased to be working with the Government to ‘test and learn’ how we can reform and reshape public services.

“We will be working with the government to explore how Family Hubs in Sheffield can increase the number of families that they reach. We will then learn from what works to help us ensure families get the support they need.

“We are committed to Sheffield being a place where all children belong and all young people can build a successful future. It’s great to be working with a government that understands the value of trying new things and is working hand in hand with local government to create change.”

Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children’s and Families Committee at Sheffield City Council, said:

“Sheffield has a trailblazing Family Hub network which offers a huge range of advice, support and links to key services to children aged up to five years old and their families.

“These hubs help reduce the barriers to opportunity that some children can face from the start of their life. We want to make sure that Sheffield’s children reach a good level of development, creating the foundations for a happy, healthy life. Giving children the best possible start is proven to be a critical factor in children doing well at school, having a healthy life and fulfilling their potential.

“Through the Government’s new ‘Test and Learn Pioneers’ project announced today, we want to showcase the amazing things we do for children and families in Sheffield, and make sure our city and our communities are instrumental in designing the future of integrated early years services.

“We look forward to working with Government and other partners such as the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to shape our approach over the coming months, ensuring that this opportunity delivers for the people of Sheffield and further afield.”

For more on the announcement, head to the Government website.